Seeing through the Smoke
by emmarae3579
Summary: NWZ: Episode tag to Master and Pupil. Diego is mourning the loss of his teacher, and Victoria tries to help. Short story about 4000 words.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Zorro, and do not make any money from writing this story. Dialogue and situations used from the episode are property of ZPI, the rest of the story is my property and cannot be printed or used without permission.

Author's Note: Here I am again…but this one's finished I promise. I'm posting these two chapters and I'll post the other hopefully later today. This is not officially beta'd, because Marla is dealing with the harsh realities of RL right now. LaCorelli, DietMJ, and Katinka helped encourage me and gave pointers, so thanks. I thought posting this today might give Marla a distraction if she needs it today.

Real life is still beating me up, too. I know I have two unfinished stories. A Simple Beginning I find myself conflicted on, and it's tough to stick to the plan. I love everyone's opinions on it, and I hope you stick with me. Hopefully something will go right for me next week and I'll be able to relax enough to write Victoria buying some new clothes with Diego too close for comfort. Or maybe she'll be quite comfortable letting him close…you must wait and see.

For now, some sad drama.

zzz

Victoria smiled slightly when Alejandro answered the door. The visit was not during a happy time.

"Victoria, welcome." Alejandro stepped back and closed the door after Victoria entered. "I didn't know you were coming here tonight. Are you here to see Diego?"

Victoria nodded. "Don Diego doesn't know I'm coming, but I did come to see him. Is he still awake?"

Alejandro looked behind them into the quiet house. "Yes, I'm afraid this week has been hard on him. He won't talk to me. Maybe you will do him some good."

Victoria followed Alejandro into the library where Diego sat staring into the crackling fire. She nodded at Felipe in the corner and thanked Alejandro as he left her to speak with Diego. She walked further into the room, but Diego didn't even notice her.

She watched him for a moment, aching for his loss, and then smiled at Felipe when he threw something at his mentor to get his attention.

Diego stood to face her when he finally became aware of her presence. "Señorita Escalante, I apologize. I didn't see you."

"I understand it's been a long day."

Diego waited for her to take a seat before he sat back on the couch. "You're lucky you're not in jail," Diego mumbled. "I wish you would stop going against the alcalde. It's a good way to get yourself killed," Diego said as he watched the fire.

He didn't notice her stand and he jumped in surprise when she sat close to him on the couch. "You should follow your own advice."

Diego leaned his head back on the couch to face her. Their shoulders were inches apart. He wanted to put his arms around her, reassure himself that she was alright.

She wouldn't have been at risk in the first place if it wasn't for him. "You could have been shot today."

"So could you."

"I wasn't jumping in front of armed soldiers to protect a myth," Diego ended with a scowl as he turned back to the fire.

Victoria raised an eyebrow. "A myth? Zorro is important. Your friend needed a doctor."

Diego sighed. "Zorro…"

Victoria took his hand and held it in her lap as Diego watched curiously. "I did it for you, not Zorro."

Diego watched her fingers lace with his, so small and delicate compared to his, but turned back to look at the fire. "I lost a friend today."

Victoria squeezed his hand. "I know. I'm sorry."

Victoria smiled slightly at him when he turned back to her, his eyes roaming over her face. "You're my friend. I wish you'd be more careful."

"Friend? Is that all?"

Diego dropped his eyes and turned away again, making Victoria frown. He was even more surprised when Victoria wrapped his arm around her shoulder and put her own arms around his chest. He hesitated, unsure, before he gave into his need to be held and wrapped his arms around her in return.

"Sir Edmund was the one who taught you to fight?"

Diego's hands tensed on her back and silence echoed through the dim room. He glanced back at Felipe who had stood in response to the quiet, simple question which just rocked their world. Diego nodded his head at Felipe and the teenager followed his instructions to leave them alone.

The quiet night and the low fire leant an intimacy to the situation, but Victoria was determined to be there for him, as he'd always been there for her. She turned in his arms to face him, not caring that she'd come here uninvited and now was nearly laying in his lap. She wanted him to know she wasn't running away, and she wouldn't let him run either. Or deny.

She reached up a hand to his cheek, and slowly Diego relaxed again, holding her close. "I heard who he was. I doubt he would have come all this way to visit a failure of a student. He came to find help from his best student."

Diego laced their fingers together where her other hand rested on her stomach. "You shouldn't be here."

"Why?" Diego looked back at the fire, but his thumb still stroked her hand. She squeezed his hand, worried that he was so quiet. "You shouldn't be alone." Diego looked at their clasped hands, but she didn't let him pull his hand away.

"I am alone. That's how it has to be. You need to leave me alone."

Victoria shook her head, but now he did remove his hands from her completely. She felt chilled now that he wasn't holding her, but she knew he needed her right now. "That's what I'm saying, Diego. You're not alone. You've helped so many people. Talk to me. Talk to your father. We can help you." Victoria waited for him to look at her again, but he still stared at the fire.

She chilled even more when Diego chuckled darkly. "Help me? Getting yourself thrown in jail helps me? You give the alcalde a target to use against me. The entire pueblo talks about how you've staked a claim on Zorro. The alcalde already knows you are interested in the stranger in a mask. Soon he'll use you to force my hand. How is that helping?"

Victoria couldn't breathe. She reached up to pull his face around to look at her, but he shook her hand away. Victoria's eyes widened as she turned crimson and scrambled off his lap, off the couch.

Diego's arms stayed open as he regretted the loss of her soft warmth for a second, but he forced his eyes to focus on the fire so he wouldn't have to watch her go.

"Me?" She bit back tears as her breath hitched violently. "You kissed my hand. You said I was beautiful. In front of everyone. I thought…"

"You thought what, Victoria?"

Victoria flinched. What had she thought? She'd been shocked when she'd figured it out earlier today. Diego as Zorro? But Diego was a good and decent man. They were friends. He didn't care that they were different. If he was really Zorro, she wouldn't have to doubt his intentions. Now…

Victoria took a step back, afraid of what he might say next, but needing to know. "What are you saying?"

"I've never said anything. I never made you any promises. You put yourself in danger without considering the consequences. Am I supposed to thank you for your support?"

Victoria took another step back because he did turn to her now. But his eyes weren't soft and blue, full of promise and affection. They were dark, glittering in the firelight and she felt as if they stabbed clear through her chest.

"I'm…" Victoria wiped at her eyes as they started leaking against her will. He didn't blink. He wasn't taking back his cruel words. "I'm sorry…I thought…" Victoria couldn't breathe. Her throat choked on any words she tried to utter, the air in the room felt like it was suffocating her. Had it all been her? He told his father all the time he wasn't interested in marriage.

Unable to breathe, she turned for the door, crying out in pain when she stumbled on the coffee table on her way out of the dark room. She'd been sitting alone with a man in a dark room. What was she thinking? Why did she forget everything else when it came to Zorro? She loved him.

But he didn't love her.

She stumbled again when she ran into Alejandro, but she didn't pause. She needed to be outside, to find air that wasn't full of hate and scorn. Alejandro called after her, but he would stay with his son. Who was she to the De la Vegas? She was a fool for trying to reach above her station.

She didn't know that's what she'd been doing though! When she'd realized Zorro's identity she'd been happy because Diego was the best man she'd ever known. Now she'd destroyed everything.

Zzz

Author's Note 2: If I drew you in with this chapter, please consider reviewing before moving on to chapter 2.


	2. Chapter 2

"Diego?"

"What?"

Alejandro walked into the mostly dark library. Where was Felipe? "Where's Felipe?"

Diego turned back to stare at the fire, wondering if he'd feel it if he touched it right now. His entire body was numb, except for the throbbing pain he felt in the center of his chest. But at least she'd be safe now. "I don't know."

"You don't know? You were in here alone with Victoria?"

Diego ran his hand through his hair as Alejandro lit a few lamps. "Don't worry, her virtue is intact. We just talked."

"Talked?" Alejandro blew out the long match and tossed it into the fire. "Must have been some talk since she just ran out of here sobbing like a child. Victoria isn't prone to tears."

Diego shrugged uncomfortably and Alejandro advanced on him. "What did you do?"

"I didn't _do_ anything." When Alejandro didn't buy that answer, Diego rested his head against the back of the couch, completely defeated. "I told her she needed to stay out of trouble. She was fighting with the alcalde's guards. I told her she made Zorro's job harder when she kept interfering."

"Diego! Why would you say that?"

"It's true," Diego answered as he stared back at his hands folded across his middle.

"No wonder she was crying. She does everything she can to help the people of this pueblo, unlike you. I think she might even fancy herself in love with Zorro. You shouldn't speak for him."

Diego didn't look up, and Alejandro clenched his fist, not believing his son could be this callous to her feelings. "And you're her best friend. You know that. Your opinion means more to her than mine probably. More than anyone else she knows. Why would you be so cruel?"

"At least she'll be safe now."

"Oh, really? Why would you think that? She's always fought for justice. At least with you as her friend she had some support. The support of the De la Vega name. Now she'll be all alone, and probably won't accept help ever again. Not to mention she just took off back to the pueblo in the dark all alone. I was going to send someone with her but she left too fast."

Alejandro paused, hoping his son would interfere. "Anything can happen, because I can assure you she won't be watching where she's going. I'm going after her. I hope you realize what you've done, and tomorrow go on your knees apologizing."

"Father," Alejandro stopped, nearly out of the library when Diego finally called him back.

Alejandro stiffened and turned back. "What?"

"You mean that? Don't you think she's gotten in more trouble since Zorro came into her life? Wouldn't it be better if she stopped associating with him?"

"Associating?" Alejandro took a step back into the library, but now in the light he could see the worry drawn on his son's face. Maybe it wasn't all because of his friend's death. "Diego, I've never seen Victoria cry. If anything happens to her tonight, or if you don't fix it tomorrow, I'm not sure what will come of her."

Alejandro paused, but Diego didn't move. He sighed in frustration and turned to leave, but once again Diego stopped him at the last minute.

"Father, wait, I'll go after her."

"Diego, maybe that's not such a good idea right now." Even as he said it, he turned to the side so his son, for once, could rush out and be the hero for their mutual friend. He growled when Diego just stood there looking indecisive.

Then the floor dropped out from under Alejandro's feet as Diego turned to the fireplace, touched the mantle, and nearly walked through the fire to get to a secret door. He only froze for a second though before he followed. In his haste, his pants leg caught fire and he stumbled down the stairs.

"Just as foolish as Victoria," Diego admonished as he dumped a pitcher of water on his father's leg and knelt to inspect the damage.

"Diego…"

"You'll be fine. Here, put some of this on it. I'll be back."

"Diego, wait!" Alejandro fumbled the canister of salve his son had tossed at him as he stood and tried to get his bearings.

"Don't touch anything."

Alejandro couldn't say anything else because his son didn't give him time. He saw the black clothes on a coat rack, saw weapons…saw one weapon in particular. He limped further into the cave to see his son swinging up onto a very familiar black stallion—without the aid of a saddle.

Words of warning and caution died on his lips as he saw Diego back the stallion out of his stall with precise movements and complete control, and then Diego was gone.

Zzz

Author's note: if you enjoyed, please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: And I cannot post any story without thanking my Facebook group and my reviewers. I love all of you. I'm happy to be a part of such a great community.

zzz

Diego tried to see in the pitch black night. Why did he have to love such a headstrong woman? She wasn't where she should be. Had she stopped so she could cry? Or had she hit a rock and had an accident? Was she lying somewhere hurt?

Diego stroked Toronado's neck to calm the horse, who sensed his agitation. "Shhh, boy. Do you hear anything?" If he called out to her, would she hear? Would she even respond? Toronado reared as Diego sent him wrong messages in his own frustration, but Diego barely noticed. He tried to think of all the hazards near the road which connected his hacienda to the main road, and from the road to the pueblo. So far to travel alone in the dark…upset.

Because of him.

Diego urged Toronado back along the path to check all the places he knew could prove a problem if someone wasn't watching…or wasn't able to see because she was crying. It was several minutes before he heard something and turned Toronado toward the sound. When he found the empty wagon with the broken wheel, his heart squeezed to a stop and he called out to her.

"Victoria!"

Toronado decided he wanted to go one direction, and Diego gave him the lead. He was right. She hadn't responded to his call. "Victoria?"

"Go home, Don Diego."

Diego sighed in relief, then in frustration. Back to titles.

"Not a chance. Are you alright?"

A spark lit the dark and Diego realized what the noises had been as he watched Victoria touch kindling to a fire. He smiled, proud of her.

"Leave me alone. You wanted me to leave you alone, do me the same favor."

Her voice broke at the end, and guilt ripped through him. He urged Toronado close to the fire and slipped to the ground, but Victoria didn't look up as she stoked the fire higher and rubbed her arms as if she were cold.

"I'm sorry." He took a step toward her, but Victoria jumped to her feet and scurried away.

"You're not. Now I know the truth." Victoria covered her mouth as another sob escaped. "I'm sorry I was in your way. It won't happen again."

She wrapped her arms around herself as she continued to cry. She'd managed to get control of herself when she hit the rock and realized how stupid she was being, just like Diego had said. She'd built the fire with her shaky hands, but it was too soon to see him. She had to make him leave before she fell apart completely.

"Victoria, I almost lost you. You almost died. Because of me!"

Victoria continued to back away from him until Toronado decided to help Diego out. Victoria bumped into the hot stallion at her back and leaned against him, turning to wrap her arms around the familiar horse. Alejandro always let her visit his prize-winning horses. He knew how much she loved them, he never made her feel like she was intruding. Toronado was the most beautiful horse she'd ever seen, and he stood still and let her cry.

The stallion made it even more real. Toronado rescued Zorro so many times. Diego was her masked hero, and her best friend put his life at risk to keep her safe. She'd put him in danger. She'd begun to think that he cared, that maybe they had a future. Zorro came to visit her and she wasn't alone anymore. Now she was, and she'd lost her best friend at the same time.

She tensed when she felt his hands on her shoulders. "Mi amor, please don't cry. I'm sorry."

She hated to cry. She rounded on him and pounded her fist on the solid wall of his chest. "Don't call me that," she cried. Her hand hurt, but not as much as he'd hurt her tonight. She hit him again and Diego took a step back in surprise, making her even more angry that she couldn't hurt him as much as he could hurt her. "You don't get to call me that. You told me to stay away from you." She flattened her palms on his chest and pushed as hard as she could. "Leave me alone."

Diego wrapped his arms around her tightly, her arms caught between them, still struggling as he pinned her. He rubbed her back gently as she cried, her tears hurting him more than her fists.

Victoria didn't have many tears left. She felt wrung dry, and she didn't have the energy to fight anymore. She stopped fighting him and let him hold her while she gathered what strength she had left. She didn't understand why he was here. If he didn't want her, why he was soothing her with such soft words?

She gasped and pushed against him when she finally was able to listen, wiping her eyes so she could look up at him to see the truth of his words. "What did you say?"

Diego sighed, hoping his father wasn't right. He would fix this. "I said I love you. And I'm sorry. I was trying to protect you."

Victoria stepped back, holding his eyes only a second before turning away. She put out a hand and smoothed it down Toronado's flank. "No saddle."

Diego blinked at the change in her mood. He walked over to his faithful stallion and rubbed a hand down his nose. "I was in a hurry."

Victoria crossed her arms and leaned her back against the huge animal, staring at the fire she'd made. She wiped at her eyes again, praying for the tears to finally stop. Zorro had been faceless. She had always known things might go wrong, or that there was a chance she might not like the man behind the mask…a man she didn't know. He couldn't hurt her. She never expected Diego to hurt her. It came out of nowhere and she felt shredded.

Victoria shivered and walked around the fire to take her seat again.

"May I sit down?"

Victoria took a long time to answer, but she didn't think he'd listen if she denied him. She nodded her head but didn't look up at him.

Diego sat down on the other side of the fire, stretching out his legs. He glanced at his left leg, which probably matched his father's. The sash he'd worn which had caught fire had simply been left on the floor of the cave. He didn't have his saddlebag, had no water. He briefly wondered what his father was doing. He moved his leg further from the fire, but decided to ask anyway. "Do you have any water?"

Victoria's brow furrowed, but she reached behind her and tossed him a canteen. He smiled, proud of her.

"I guess I'm supposed to thank you for telling me to always be prepared."

She didn't look very thankful. Diego wondered if he'd get any sympathy if he showed her his leg. His calf was probably barely pink, but maybe she'd be nicer to him if he whined a little.

Diego remembered her violent outburst and decided against it. She'd probably smell blood and go in for the kill. Maybe he should design something to put the fire out quickly in case he had another emergency.

She glanced over when she heard the ripping of fabric and saw him pour out a good portion of her water. "I didn't realize you were going to waste my water. Give it back, I have a long night." Diego stared in surprise at her outstretched hand.

"I wasn't wasting it. My leg hurts because I was burned chasing after you."

Victoria couldn't see his leg, but stamped down feelings of sympathy or curiosity as she took her canteen back. "I didn't ask you to. Go home. Don't blame me for this, too."

"I thought maybe we could talk before we went home."

"We? I'm not going back with you. I'm off the De la Vega land. I'm on the main road. Someone will see me tomorrow and give me a ride."

Diego watched her through the campfire, unsure how to get through to her. "Why did you come to see me tonight, Victoria?"

Victoria crossed her arms, and considered ignoring him. "It's not every day you find out Zorro's identity. I wanted to hear it from you."

"Is that really why you came?"

Victoria rubbed her arms, even though she wasn't really cold.

"Victoria?"

Victoria rolled her eyes as her fingers clenched on her arms. "Because I was worried about you. I didn't know I was the root of all your problems, or I would have stayed away!"

"You are not the root of all my problems." Diego watched her stare into the fire and sighed. "Do you remember what I said?"

"Quite clearly, thank you."

This wasn't going well at all, Diego thought. "You came because I lost a friend. Sir Edmund is dead because of me."

Slowly, Victoria's grip on her arms loosened. "You did all you could. It's not your fault."

"Isn't it? Two men attacked us. I let one of them get away. Sir Edmund told me if I didn't kill the stranger, the stranger would kill him." Diego winced as he moved his leg further away from the fire. It was tightening up. Maybe he needed to go check on his father. "Sir Edmund was right."

This time when he glanced up, Victoria was watching. "I got Sir Edmund killed. I couldn't bear it if you were killed as well."

"Everything that happens is not your fault."

"What happened tonight is. I am sorry." Diego glanced at the water, and nodded his thanks when Victoria handed him the canteen. "You're better off far away from me. I was trying to send you away." Diego upended the canteen, sad when not much water was left.

"So I left. If that was what you wanted, why did you come after me?" Victoria tried not to hope.

"Because I love you. My father said you tended to get in trouble before Zorro came along." He grinned when she narrowed her eyes. "I thought maybe you'd stay out of trouble if you were my wife." He relaxed a little at her poleaxed expression. "My father was going to come after you, but he was burned as well. Will you please come back with me? I need to check on him. And we should talk."

Victoria looked around in the dark. She didn't want to spend the night out here. She glanced at her broken wheel. "We can't fix the cart tonight."

"Toronado has carried two before."

Victoria met his eyes over the flames and a shiver stole through her. "If you're caught on Toronado…"

"So let's hurry." Diego groaned as he stood and held a hand out to her. "Care for a ride, my'lady?"

Victoria took his hand to stand, but then pushed him away. "Don't think you're forgiven so easily."

Diego stepped closer so he could take her hand again, and bent to place a lingering kiss on the back of her hand. "I'll work on it. I've never been in love before."

Victoria's hand trembled after he finally released it, and she knew she was blushing all over. She wasn't making him work very hard. She had to remember he was in trouble.

"That's no excuse." Tears came to her eyes as she remembered those things he'd said…remembered the danger he faced.

Now Diego's hand came up to cradle her face, his finger lifted her chin so he could look at her. "I'm sorry. You scared me."

Victoria's mind was in turmoil. His eyes were so gentle now, his hand so warm and comforting. "Your father is hurt?"

Diego rolled his eyes. "Victoria, come with me because you want to spend the evening with me, not because you're worried about my father."

Victoria stared at their joined hands. "You really have feelings for me?"

"I love you." Diego pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "And as soon as you agree, we can be married."

"But…"

Diego stroked her cheek with his thumb, his fingers threading into her hair. "But what?"

Victoria took his hand away from her face and stepped back. "Two years and I never knew who you were. You never said anything."

Diego shook his head. "I didn't feel I had the right. If the alcalde finds out who I am, it will be bad. If he can prove you're in league with Zorro, it won't bode well for you, either. Even now…the next time something bad happens, will you come running to Diego for help? That will get us killed."

Victoria wrapped her arms around herself, starting to see why he kept himself apart. But still, she shook her head. "You have to give me something other than secrets and apologies."

Diego stepped forward again and took her hands, kissed each one. "I will. I promise." Diego stepped back and squeezed her hands. "Let's go home."

"You can take me home to the tavern."

Diego shook his head. "I need to check on my father. I can't ride Toronado into town." He blew out a deep breath. "And we need to talk."

Victoria nodded, and they went about gathering her belongings and putting the fire out. "You'll have to ride behind me. Hold on, and we'll go slow."

Victoria frowned at the massive animal. She'd never ridden astride without a saddle. "Why can't I ride in front?"

Diego chuckled darkly and shook his head as he mounted and walked the horse over to a rock where she could climb on behind him.

"Because if you ride in front, I can't promise to keep my hands to myself."

Zzz

Author's Note: So for now this is it. I like the ending. I'm not promising there will never be another chapter. For now this gives my readers something to enjoy while they wait patiently for more Simple Beginning, and hopefully will restore some confidence if I get some reviews and have a good weekend. I hope everyone enjoys their Saturday! And if you enjoyed this little story, please leave a review.


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